


Bring It

by mooncrest



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Fantasy, Knights - Freeform, M/M, Magic, Romance, Slow Burn, We'll get there, but snhn are stupid idiots so..., but! soonhoon rivalry!, it may take a while, royal au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-06-25 20:40:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19753429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mooncrest/pseuds/mooncrest
Summary: A CALL TO SERVICEThe Queen of the Diamond Kingdom is in search of a knight worthy to wear the helm of the leader of Her Majesty's army. All knights from all kingdoms are invited to take part of the search where your strength, skill, magic and loyalty will be tested. Knights will fight against fellow knights in honorable battles until only the most powerful remains.This is also an invitation for all knights to present themselves on the night of gathering in the Queen's courtyard on the next full moon.Your presence is highly anticipated.





	1. The Queen's Choice

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for hozidan by e.
> 
> For our Kwon Fire, and our Cold Artist.

Jihoon had always been confident of his skills. His instincts never failed him, his mind able to calculate risks and failures, read the movement of his opponents two, three steps ahead, and able to make the soundest decisions even at the highest level of threat to his life. Subjected under the worst stress, he's a known figure of tranquility and grace.

A ball of fire sailed an inch from right cheek and he's barely able to dodge as he concentrated on rebuilding his magic circle for the spell for his next major attack.

The opponent already escaped the trap he placed? _Damn_ , Jihoon thought. He knew the Knight of Fire was tenacious but Jihoon didn't expect him to be _this_ persistent. Jihoon had thrown almost everything he had at him, and the knight still pushed against him. For the first time in his life, Jihoon hoped his walls of ice would protect him, hold his defenses to give him enough time for his final blow.

When the Knight of Ice was summoned and introduced on the night of gathering, the temperature of the hall slowly dipped to a chilling cold that men in their heavy armor shivered with their shields and swords clattering noisily as if in applause.

A spell-caster from the kingdom of Elemental Ice, a genius of all fields, a formidable foe with perfect tactics and impenetrable defense, the Knight of Ice had a long list of titles that came with the whispers of his name. Even when he stood a head shorter than the average knight, he held himself with confidence and, Soonyoung dared think, fire. The Knight of Ice was not someone to meddle with.

So that's exactly what Soonyoung did.

He produced a pillar of fire by the throne of the Queen if only to keep Her Majesty warm, (and to annoy the Knight of Ice, standing in front of the throne, stating the purpose of his presence) but it was extinguished in an instant, the steady blue flame disappearing at an invisible but present breath of ice-cold wind. Frost started coating the walls of the castle as if in warning that everyone's breaths started fogging.

From where the Knight of Ice stood, a crack of ice his appeared at his foot which crawled on the ground like a wild rodent, tracing the floor in a unbroken line until it reached Soonyoung's boots, freezing him in place.

"Sir Lee Jihoon," the Queen said, sounding more amused than anything. "Play nice."

Jihoon, the Knight of Ice, bowed low, as if in apology, but he said, "I was interrupted, Your Majesty. Will you excuse me?"

Without waiting for the Queen's response, Sir Lee Jihoon turned his heel and followed the path of his tracking spell which lead him to the source of fire.

"Sir Kwon Soonyoung," the Knight of Ice greeted, his gaze steely and cold. "Did you have a concern?"

Soonyoung shrugged. "Her Majesty might have been freezing. I was only trying to keep her warm."

"You exude too much unnecessary energies for a telepath. I can almost hear your thoughts," he challenged, and Soonyoung frowned. This knight knew too much about him. "Something about the battle of fire and ice?"

" _Jihoon_."

"Queen Amy," Jihoon responded without looking back at the throne. "I'm being challenged by a fellow knight, and I would very much _love_ to indulge him."

It was all Soonyoung can do to keep himself from smiling and then attacking. He escaped the growing embrace of the ice around his armor with a small explosion, fragments dramatically flying across the room, but not too far because they melted along the way.

He had wanted to put the ice knight in his place the moment he'd laid his eyes on him. There's an undeniable scratch in Soonyong's brain, a thought he can't pin-point that told him he hated the other knight immediately. It's their lineages, most likely. Fire and ice had always been meant to clash.

Sooner or later.

Jihoon must want his head on a stake, too. But not if Soonyoung beat him to it.

Their little stare down earned their first probation, even as guests in the Diamond Kingdom. Jihoon was sure they were not the only knights with family-deep rivalries, not the only knights who disturbed the peace of supposed neutral night before the following days of bloodbath. But they were one of the two most powerful and most prominent knights in attendance. Their punishment was meant to set an example that no knight will be exempted from the justice of the Diamond kingdom. After all, the kingdom was hosting a challenge for all kinds of knights to look for the most powerful one. Strict rule implementation was a must.

Jihoon will get his Fire challenge one day. If Soonyoung will survive long enough.

Soonyoung was still under a slowing spell even after escaping the other trap, his arms heavy and cold even as he tried creating balls of fire both to thaw the thick snow that seemed alive and growing in his surroundings, and to attack whatever he was to attack. Jihoon remained concealed and safe behind the tall walls of ice he established a few minutes into the battle, and Soonyoung could not even make a dent on it with all the traps Jihoon prepared for him.

The master of tactics lived up to his name, Soonyoung supposed. But he was flattered, Soonyoung thought with a grin, that Jihoon already boxed himself in an impenetrable defense so early into their battle. Jihoon did not take any chances, and did not underestimate him. Soonyoung was highly flattered that the powerful knight treated him an equal.

Soonyoung pulled out his last inked spell, the enchanted paper flying in the air at his command. The paper exploded in a with a white flash of fire, flames licking the piling snow clean from the ground, and renewing Soonyoung's strength if only for mere seconds. Soonyoung did not waste his chance and extended the reach of his mind through the thick ice wall in front of him, and

 _There_!

He located Jihoon's energies right behind the wall and…

 _A snow storm_ , Soonyoung found from the depths of Jihoon's thoughts. Jihoon was creating a snow storm.

 _What. A. Show-off_.

He unsheathed his sword that blazed alive with fire, and then concentrated what power he had left on the spot behind the wall and lunged.

When Soonyoung had thought that he aimed right at center Jihoon's armor where his heart was supposed to be, his sword met with another sword in an ear-shattering _clang_! Ice crashed from everywhere, Jihoon's sword exploding at the impact of Soonyoung's weapon.

"YIELD!" Soonyoung yelled as he pointed the sword at Jihoon's neck, the other knight sitting defenseless in front of him.

Instead of the fear he expected, or even disappointment, Jihoon smiled at him. Steely. Cold. Victorious.

"Never."

The magic circle glowed white, blue and silver around Jihoon, and the first snowflake fell on Soonyoung's nose with a kiss.

In his panic, Soonyoung's whole being burst into flames, just in time to protect himself from the ice trap Jihoon set for him as thunder and lightning danced around them. Snow began to fall harshly, and the winds mercilessly whistled around Soonyoung, strong enough that he can feel the chill even with his skin literally on fire.

Soonyoung screamed, raising his sword at Jihoon who rolled just in time to dodge the attack. Soonyoung sliced and swiped and attacked with all of his might, his body moving before his mind can think, and he let his flames burn, burn, burn, everything they can reach in his path.

The snowstorm was relentless that even though Jihoon looked paler and breathless keeping up the spell and running from Soonyoung's attacks, he looked like he can do this all day.

Soonyoung didn't have that energy anymore. He can feel himself wasting away, the last of his oxygen dropping with the temperature. He had to do _something_.

He thrust forward one last time before stabbing the ground with his sword, and fire erupted from the ground, a circular trap of tall flames surrounding the Knight of Ice in the middle. Soonyoung jumped at the other knight, taking Jihoon by surprise as they collided and fell on the ground. They struggled in the middle of the chaos, fire against ice, both weaponless, relying on the last of their powers.

"I said STOP!"

The arena was thrown into quiet, all spells and attacks disarmed by the Queen's word.

"May I remind both noble knights that is _not_ a fight to the death," the Queen said, her voice floating above all the contrast of black smoke and white fog floating around the two knights.

Soonyoung found himself thrown a few feet away from his opponent who was lying supine, breath loud, fast and harsh.

 _Good_ , Soonyoung thought. He was not the only one who felt beat up.

Soonyoung pulled himself up, thinking it would put him in an advantage when the Queen would pass judgment. But Jihoon was onto him, the other knight also sitting up, and later both of them stood apart, facing the throne, waiting for the Queen's next words.

"Standing before me are the Knight of Fire and the Knight of Ice, two warriors who did not relent in their attacks and defenses in a hundred of battles before this. We have seen the promise of their skills and talent, and we have known them worthy to lead the Army of the Queen."

Soonyoung's chest rose and fell, touching the front of his armor that felt burning with the touch of ice. Ragged breaths from both of them beat to an irregular rhythm as if in a tight race or a worrisome march.

 _Inhale, inhale, exhale, exhale_.

"The exemplary battle today is one to be remembered for generations. Legendary. An applause for our two knights!"

Cheering engulfed the whole stadium, and applause like the heavy pouring of the rain.

Jihoon dropped on one knee, and Soonyoung followed.

"And the winner of the final battle for the title of the leader of the Queen's army is…"

Soonyoung raised his head just in time for the heavy tension to be replaced by excited whispers and unashamed chattering. The Queen had raised her scepter, but instead of pointing to one of them, she had it drawn horizontally. A declaration of peace and mutual strength.

A _draw_.

Soonyoung felt his anger shoot up just as quickly as his magic responded even in the least of his strength. A fireball appeared in front of his eyes, and he knew his upper body was also aflame in the heat of his fury. He tried toning down his temper, his fire slimming to a thin flame.

"Your Majesty, _with all due respect_ , there can only be one winner," Soonyoung started, his head tucked between his arm in rehearsed reverence.

"You _dare_ question the judgment of the Queen?"

"No!" Soonyoung yelled, forcing himself to hold his position. "No, Your Majesty. But there can only be one fit to lead your army. Either me or him. Choose one or the other. But _choose_."

He didn't even realize he was setting himself ablaze until he felt his skin cooled by snowballs pelting onto his body.

_Calm down, you idiot._

Soonyoung already understood the message without having to read Jihoon's mind, judging from the way Jihoon was glaring at him. But he couldn't help throwing a little fire ball at the other knight, just because he can.

Which, of course, Jihoon answered with a huge snowball dropping down on Soonyoung's body, encasing him like an awkward armored snowman. Soonyoung burned the snow and was about to attack again when his hands were pulled back by a force so strong, he fell on his back. He saw he wasn't the only one when Jihoon was pulled away just the same.

"Sir Kwon Soonyoung, Sir Lee Jihoon, you have shown your capabilities enough, but both of you are too immature to lead if you are still to question this simple decision by the highest ruling authority." The Queen's tone was flat, that Soonyoung knew even her extended patience had already worn thin. "Both of you will undergo training to conform to the customs of the Diamond Kingdom and will be judged by my most trusted knights. By the end of your training, we will have both of you, or none of you."

The finality of her statement couldn't be clearer: they will either excel in their training and work on their differences, or they will be sent home defeated, scorned by the Diamond Kingdom, and then shamed by their families.

"Knight of Fire, Knight of Ice, rise and present yourself to your people."

Soonyoung's hands were released from the bondage that held him, and allowed him to stand and face the roaring crowd. Soonyoung stood tall and proud as much as his pride allowed him to, and he could see from the corner of his eye that Jihoon was not much different.

"Diamond Kingdom, meet your Two Captains!"


	2. Peace and Fear

The Diamond Kingdom was known for being strict and direct with no time for huge parties and festivals other kingdoms were so fond of having, so it did not come as a surprise when not much of a ceremony occurred after the big announcement of the captainship of the two knights. Not a banquet was prepared, nothing planned even for weeks to come. Instead, the two were whisked out of the stadium just as the crowd dispersed onto their daily activities like nothing life-changing happened.

Flanked by soldiers and armed guards in regal blue robes on either side, they were led inside the castle and into hallways that thinned through. Jihoon would marvel at the structures some other time. His senses were on high alert, searching each turn for a possible exit, his mind screaming that they're being ushered into something other than their promised position of power.

 _A trap_.

They passed through halls with dimmed lights, curtain walls and trapdoors, until they walked into the a bailey where what looked a squad had been waiting for them. A squad was a generous description when they're only a group of seven. The knights seemed in casual conversation with each other, just sitting and lounging around, looking nothing like the knights that Jihoon was so used to seeing in their kingdom. When they filed in with their escorts, Jihoon expected them to at least come into attention. However, they remained unbothered even when the two Captains were already standing right at the middle of the bailey.

These knights were in full armor, Jihoon noted with a little worry.

Diamond Kingdom, the most powerful kingdom in the known lands, had been obscure from every other kingdom until their announcement of their search for the leader of the Queen's army. Naturally, the most powerful knights of every other kingdom flocked to the night of gathering, names from families of old appearing all of a sudden, just to witness the gates of the mysterious kingdom open.

Most of those knights were Elementals, wielding their magic from the Earth's energies, but the Diamond Kingdom did not share the same history as the others borne from the Earth's own magic. The Diamond Kingdom was built, not birthed. When it used to be a band of those rejected by their own kingdoms, a hiding place of the mocked, the small group grew and evolved, training magic against magic, until magic not known elsewhere was unearthed and utilized.

The Diamond core. A magical source that did not need an Elemental charm to be harnessed, like the one hanging from Jihoon's neck.

Jihoon can only wonder what these knights were capable of.

He'd met the Queen before during their peace visits, and he liked to think they were good friends even when she remained allusive. She never revealed what she can do, nor the magic she held as the figure of authority of the Diamond Kingdom. But one look at her and Jihoon knew her to be formidable, one he'd like to be an ally than enemy.

Their soldier escorts formed a box formation around them and the relaxed knights, and Jihoon's suspicions were further being confirmed.

The Diamond Kingdom must only have wanted the best knights from the other kingdoms crippled by each other, before the one left, or the ones, in their case, be crushed under the power of the kingdom's own knights.

They were led here to die.

The soldiers knocked their fists twice on their breastplates then stood in a relaxed stance. Finally, after finishing a hearty laugh, one of the knights turned around to meet the two Captains.

The first word that Jihoon can think to describe him was _broad_. This knight was so broad that even when he was weaponless, Jihoon wasn't sure if he was in a state to defeat him.

 _He's a telepath_. _Keep provoking thoughts to a minimum_.

Jihoon was a knight trained by the best of his kingdom, even in manner and decorum but there was something about the fire knight invading his thoughts to tell him that specific detail made him want to roll his eyes.

 _Said the imbecile who almost killed me in front of the Queen when she specifically called her kingdom a peace zone_.

The knight in front of them laughed confirming Sir Kwon's intel. He _was_ a telepath.

Jihoon wasn't one, but he was taught to read energies to figure out how the other party was reacting. This knight's energy was anything but hostile. He was warm. Welcoming even.

"Welcome to the Diamond Kingdom, Captains!" he greeted, opening his arms to the two knights. "We've watched all your fights from the very beginning, and a lot of us predicted that either of you would've been appointed. You were obviously the best of the best!"

"Most of us were rooting for Sir Jihoon," one of the knights seated on the floor called out. Jihoon recognized him from his trips before. Sir Yoon Jeonghan, who introduced himself as an illusionist.

"But we're biased because we already know him," another knight said, waving from where he stood. Sir Lee Chan, one of the younger knights of his battalion. "Sir Kwon Soonyoung was impressive! I didn't know anyone could've gone through that thick ice defense!"

"He let me in that defense. That was well-calculated," Sir Kwon replied, bitterness oozing from his tone that Jihoon cannot almost help cracking a smile.

"Because of the snow trap! And the snowstorm! I heard only those gifted by the Royals of the Kingdom of Elemental Ice are able to make a snowstorm. Is it true? Does that mean you're going to be wedded to the prince of your kingdom?"

Jihoon cleared his throat, surprised that the younger knight knew that much about his own Kingdom's traditions. "That's… classified information."

"Oh," Sir Lee Chan grinned, walking over to stand with the broader knight. "My roots are from your Kingdom, you see. My ancestors ran from the Elemental Ice. My other half came from Elemental Fire." He gave the floor a hard stomp and a crevice appeared where magma overflowed then froze with silver ice just as it reached the surface.

"Alright, show-off, playtime's over," the broader knight told Sir Lee Chan and pushed him back with the rest of the group who were hollering their praises over to him. This gave Jihoon enough time to recover from that show of strength. Judging from the way Sir Kwon had his gauntlet fisted, he was surprised too.

Sir Lee Chan was a hybrid from two Kingdoms. Two rival kingdoms, with opposing core Elements. Which already gave him an upper hand against both Jihoon and Sir Kwon. Which meant the younger knight might even beat them on a one against two.

"I wouldn't worry about it," the broad knight said, and Jihoon only gave him a tight smile with Sir Kwon in his mind again, telling him to tone it down. "Chan just loves telling everyone he's better than them."

"That's because he is."

"Our baby Chan is growing up too quickly!"

"I'm not anyone's baby!"

"Everyone, shut up, please," the knight in front of them said, then sighed, as if this were a natural occurrence in the bailey. "I'm Choi Seungcheol, and we usually don't talk about our roots around here unless you're Lee Chan."

"HEY!"

"He's a special case," Sir Seungcheol winked at them, and Jihoon cannot fathom if it's a joke or a threat.

"General," Sir Lee Chan whined, and Jihoon almost took a step back.

 _General_.

General Choi.

 _The_ General Choi.

The Diamond Kingdom's General.

_Yes, go ahead. Repeat his name over and over again. That's not weird at all._

_Shut up, Kwon, or I'll turn you into a popsicle._

_I'd like to see you try_.

General Choi sighed again, and muttered, "Jisoo, if you please."

Jihoon felt his arms being bound again until they're pressed together behind him by an invisible rope, and he's forced on his knees by a power that's beyond him. Like what happened back at the stadium right after the battle. Jihoon saw Sir Kwon held in the same position, then he turned to glare at General Choi.

"Please, just Seungcheol is fine. The Diamond Kingdom doesn't follow formalities."

 _Formalities like getting inside their guests' heads?_ Jihoon thought, and Seungcheol only looked at him with an apology.

"Unbind us. _Please_ ," Sir Kwon seethed.

"Until you two come to terms that _both_ are going to be working together without killing each other, I don't think we cannot let you around each other alone," Seungcheol said. "That means we have to keep you alive until we see you through your training, and you become full-pledged Captains of the Queen's Army."

"Why does the Queen need new Captains, if you don't mind me asking," Jihoon prodded. "When she already has you, General?"

"Aw, you have a fan right here, Choi," Sir Jeonghan swooned, his gloved hands on his cheeks before turning his attention to Jihoon. "He's not as great as you think he is, Sir Jihoon. He trips over his boots at least three times a day."

"The Queen's Army," Seungcheol started, ignoring Sir Jeonghan. "Is not really an army. It's a… platoon. A small group of the some of the best soldiers of the kingdoms to be deployed for special missions."

"The kingdoms?" sir Kwon asked, struggling against his invisible shackles to look up at the General.

"Yes. From those knights you've defeated before you, she will handpick the best knights and place in her army."

"What for?"

"For times she will require the assistance of the other kingdoms, seeing as they were willing to walk in her doorstep the moment she opened her arms to them," Sir Jeonghan smiled eerily from where he's seated. "For peace, if you will. Unity of the kingdoms constantly at war."

Jihoon still did not understand the need for a smaller group of knights from other kingdoms serving a vague purpose of the Queen, but a vague summons and vague call to service did not stop the rest of the kingdoms from being drawn to the Diamond Kingdom the first time, and he's sure the other kingdoms will treat this as an honor. To serve in the Queen's Army.

"Speaking of unity," Seungcheol said, "We need to work the two of you. Jisoo?"

The binds on Jihoon's wrists loosened, and he was able to pull himself to stand. He looked at the knights in front of him, four still unnamed. He wondered which one of them was Sir Jisoo.

"As Captains of the Queen's Army, you need to be abide by the Kingdom's traditions like everyone else, and you need to know each other more than anyone else," Seungcheol said, pointing at the two of them, making a line from one knight to the other, and as much as Jihoon disliked the prospect of working with the fire knight, the General had a point. They were Captains of the Queen's Army. In the Diamond Kingdom, they were not rivals. Just two knights. Two Captains, leading one army.

"To start off your training, you must give up your Elemental Charms."

 _What_.

"You're taking away our Elemental Charms?! Why?!"

Kwon Soonyoung was one noisy bastard. But a noisy bastard with reason.

Seungcheol smiled at them, amused, before turning to the knights behind him and made a motion as if to help themselves. "Minghao, if you please."

Minghao, a thin looking knight with an easy smile, only shrugged as he stepped closer to the Captains. "You must've forgotten, but you two were on probation."

They were on probation, Jihoon remembered that clearly, but Jihoon did not know how grave their punishment was. Without their Elemental Charms, which carried a piece of the kingdom that served their connection to their core elements, they were just knights without their magic.

"I am an _Elemental_ knight. Why would my Charm be taken away?"

"Because you're on probation, Captain. Captain Jihoon?"

His smile had a whimsical air to it, a certain music that was both dangerous and playful at the same time.

Jihoon pulled on his necklace and handed it over to the other knight without any other word.

"Wise decision," Minghao sang. "Captain Soonyoung?"

Jihoon made the mistake of looking at the other Captain. The other knight's gaze on him was incredulous, as though he couldn't believe Jihoon would just hand over his source of power without a fight. Normally, Jihoon wouldn't, but there was something sinister about Minghao that he dared not challenge just yet.

Jihoon tilted his head towards Minghao, a signal and a little encouragement to get Kwon Soonyoung moving although he knew it was a lost cause. Sir Kwon Soonyoung was not a knight who answered to anyone, especially not to the Knight of Ice. But there's click inside the other knight, an acceptance of his fate, and maybe a mutual respect of Jihoon's decision, and he touched the front of his armor where his Elemental Charm should be hanging, and it burned a hole through the armor, which closed itself again as if in a forge.

The fire knight looked at his charm one last time before dropping it on Minghao's expectant hand.

"Excellent!" Minghao exclaimed. "Her Majesty would be very pleased to hear about this. General?"

"Thank you, Minghao. You should report to the Queen and we'll handle the rest here."

Minghao knocked twice on his chest before a fire from his feet engulfed his being and then, he's gone.

Sir Kwon dropping his lower jaw should've been a hilarious sight, but Jihoon only felt as shocked as he was. The energy Jihoon sensed from Minghao was otherworldly, something he'd not felt before. And _fire._ That must have thrown off Sir Kwon even more than he.

"Ready for your first opponents?"

"Opponents?"

The doors on left and right walls of the bailey opened, and tables of weapons of all kinds were rolled in.

"A melee," Seungcheol said as if in explanation, but it did not help. "For practice. And to see if you two work together as well as you work alone."

"Together?" Jihoon uttered the word like he cannot comprehend the meaning of it.

"Choose your weapons well," Seungcheol said as he took steps back. "Junhui and Wonwoo will not go easy on you."

Two knights behind Seungcheol had started taking weapons from their side of the bailey, so Jihoon turned for his own selection. Jihoon glanced at Sir Kwon to find him with twin blades, one on each of his hands, his eyes shut tight in concentration that Jihoon can almost see sweat beading on his forehead.

"Nothing," he grumbled after a second. "Not even a small flame."

"You cannot use your Element without your charm," Jihoon told him, and Sir Kwon glared at him for stating the obvious.

"And you can?"

"Magic-less, but not powerless," Jihoon said, taking a bardiche and a shield, weighing the weapon on each hand. There were still wrapped with magic, Jihoon thought as he felt the energies of the weapons, but he had not enough time to study them for their abilities. He turned to Sir Kwon. "What's your squad position?"

"Vanguard."

Jihoon raised a brow. That's convenient. "I'll take tank."

Sir Kwon shared the same reaction, but his surprise was quickly replaced by his cocky grin. "Try not to depend on me too much."

"That's my line," Jihoon grunted, taking his position in front of Sir Kwon. They were going to play an experimental tag-team of defense and offense. Jihoon was too weak from his previous battle to conjure basic spells that did not make use of his element, so he was going to reminisce his days as a young squire without his charm, and without proper control of his Element. All physical attacks with a physical weapon.

He looked at Sir Kwon who winked at him before nodding to make him look in front of them. Two knights were walking towards them, but only one of them was holding a weapon, and a scythe no less.

"The melee finishes after one pair yields or the umpire determines a winner," Seungcheol was saying from somewhere around the room. Jihoon was too busy trying to read their opponents' energy to look anywhere else.

 _One of them is an illusionist,_ Jihoon thought, hoping Sir Kwon's telepathy was still intact. _He has a similar energy as Sir Yoon Jeonghan, but there's something_ …

 _The man in front, I've sparred with him before. That's Sir Jeon Wonwoo_ , came Sir Kwon's thoughts and Jihoon breathed out a loud sound. _He used a shorter blade during our spar. I wonder why… Is he trying to accommodate his partner or his partner trying to accommodate him_?

"Ready? START!"

The answer came when the room was engulfed by full-darkness that Jihoon felt his throat constrict.

"Sir Jeon's partner is not just an illusionist," Jihoon said, uncaring that anyone and everyone can hear him. "He manipulates fear."

There's a scream, and the melee ended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story was born from when Soonyoung and Jihoon were wearing those pretty necklaces from a schedule, and then hozidan and I were randomly sprouting out a plot for this universe. It wasn't really meant to get this long, but let's see where this goes. Haha. I hope you guys enjoyed.
> 
> for hozidan, i love you more than anything. ♡  
> \- e


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